


Painful Memory

by trainwhistlesatnight



Category: Skulduggery Pleasant - Derek Landy
Genre: Angst, M/M, Suicidal Thoughts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-30
Updated: 2019-03-30
Packaged: 2019-12-26 13:30:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18283274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trainwhistlesatnight/pseuds/trainwhistlesatnight
Summary: Larrikin gets caught in the vice of Serpine's red right hand, and miracously survives but.. Is the pain from the attack worth it?





	Painful Memory

Anton feels ice in his veins, feels the whole world slow and come to a complete standstill. But he knows he's moving, knows because others are moving- watching Serpine raise his hand, the devil's grin on his face. Watches it almost hit Dexter, watches Larrikin jump in front pushing Dexter out of the way.

Hears his screech as pain invades is body like a parasite and eats him alive from the inside out. He vomits from the pain faster than Anton can even think about, trying to purge whatever is causing the upset from his body, but it won't go, won't leave, till Larrikin drops, and Serpine is captured from behind, ceasing his magic.

He fights and screams to get out of the shackles, and Anton wonders vaguely why they do not kill him right away, then and there, before he dodges the body flying at him and darts to get to Larrikin.

He grabs at him, as does Dexter, trying to find a pulse, something, anything.

In their panic, they can't find anything, and Anton panics, swears he's dying, swears Larrikin is dead, and suddenly he's seeing red, demon pulling out of his chest.

The red afterwords is not only in his sight, but others too, scattered across the ground along with grass, mud, and soldiers entrails.

* * *

 

For whatever God unknown reason there may be, Larrikin survives. His body hurts no matter what he does, he tells them, but he survives. He walks, ignores every flinch that overcomes him, every jolt, every scream he wants to let out. He talks, breathes, even jumps, though he almost collapses from it when he's landed every time, too. 

Anton finds himself laying in bed, wondering about the day when he thought Larrikin died. The gist in his chest growls and snaps its sharp teeth at the memory, at the idea of Serpine and that red right hand. Though Anton knows he has every right to be mad, the gist makes his chest burn in an unpleasant way, so he soothes himself. Thinks of better memories and takes deep breaths till the gist’s heat is a barely noticeable simmer.

Someone knocks on the door and peeks in. Anton sits up on his elbows. “Yes?” He says. Larrikin steps in.

“Can I lay with you?” He asks. Anton nods.

“Nightmare?”

“No, but the general pain has been..” he takes a deep breath, “ a lot, tonight.” Anton frowns.

“A lot?”

“A lot. Rolling over hurt, laying on my stomach and trying to breathe hurt, everything. It felt like even just laying there with my eyes closed hurt..”

“I'm s-”

“I want it to stop hurting..”

“We can get some of the leaves-”

“Forever, Anton. I want it to stop hurting forever.. Not for just a few minutes, just a few hours, days, weeks, whatever. I just want it to stop.” He was frowning, brows drawn together as he stared at the blanket on the bed and tears pooled in his eyes. 

“Larrikin.. I- I'm so sorry..”

“You didn't do anything wrong.” Larrikin sniffled, “I'm just tired, I'm just really tired. My bones and muscles and everything aches and I just don't.. I don't know much more I can take, Anton.” He choked out a sob. “It hurts, and I'm tired, and I want- I want it to stop but I don't know how else to make it go away forever aside fr-from killing myself-!”

Anton felt that same ice in his veins. Larrikin was fully crying now, and Anton pulled him into his arms. Larrikin gripped tight on Anton's shirt, and cried. Anton held him close, and hopefully not tight enough to hurt him, gently shushing him and ignoring his own tears building up in his eyes.

“It'll be okay, Larrikin,” he said. “We'll find something to make it go away, I promise… I promise.”


End file.
